Maximum working hours
- 10 hours of actual work per day at most. A collective agreement can go up to 12 hours in some cases.
- 48 hours in any one week at most.
- 44 hours per week on average over 12 consecutive weeks. A collective agreement or a labour inspectorate authorisation can raise this average to 46 hours.
Rest periods
- Daily rest: 11 consecutive hours between two working days, unless exemptions apply. Watch out for late closures followed by an opening the next morning.
- Weekly rest: a full 24-hour day, plus the 11 hours of daily rest, i.e. 35 consecutive hours.
- Break: at least 20 consecutive minutes once working time reaches 6 hours.
Part-time staff: give notice in time
For a part-time employee, any change to how their hours are spread over the days of the week or the weeks of the month must be notified with a notice period. Without a collective agreement, this period is 7 working days; an agreement can shorten it, but not below 3 working days.
Employees under 18
Summer and weekend jobs often attract minors. More protective rules apply to them: shorter hours, longer breaks and rest. Check them before putting them on a late closing shift.
Your collective agreement matters
Your collective agreement may set specific rules: deadlines for publishing the schedule, daily span, Sunday work, pay supplements. Re-read it, or ask your accountant or payroll provider.
Good habits
- Start from a standard week, then create special periods for the holidays.
- Set a minimum staffing level per time band, and spot the gaps before they happen.
- Route leave requests through a single channel, with clear approval.
- Set rules for shift swaps between colleagues: who approves, and on what terms?
- Keep your schedules: in a dispute over hours or rest, it is often up to the employer to provide the proof.
And with Lago?
Lago builds the staff schedule from a standard week and special periods, flags the time slots below the minimum staffing you set, manages leave requests and shift swaps, and backs up the schedules. The schedule can be viewed on a phone, one day at a time, and each employee finds their own hours in “My schedule”. Discover the staff schedule.
Sources (in French): Service-Public.fr, full-time working hours, CSE Guide, maximum hours and rest, Legalstart, CFDT, part-time notice period. General information article, not a substitute for advice from an employment law professional.